Opposition lawmakers flooded the government's National Reconstruction bill with amendments in a move aimed at delaying its processing in the Chamber of Deputies.
The bill, which contains around 40 provisions, faces more than 1,500 amendments submitted by opposition lawmakers. An independent deputy from the PPD bench had announced preparations for some 2,500 amendments, calling them a "tsunami." The Communist Party and the Christian Democracy led in the number of proposals, though numerous opposition legislators also took part.
The Executive responded with a substitute amendment that deactivated a large portion of those changes. Many of the amendments were ruled inadmissible because they dealt with matters under the exclusive competence of the government. The Executive aims for approval of the bill in the Chamber before May 21, using legislative urgency powers and holding a majority in the Finance Committee.
The processing has sparked controversy over the limited time to debate core aspects of the project. The government is betting that the Senate will refine pending details, although there is no certainty this will happen.
